From research to reality at AUT forum
Manufacturers, industry leaders, academics and engineering students met at AUT in September for the inaugural Advancing Manufacturing Forum (AMF 2026).
The collaboration between AUT, the University of Auckland, Auckland Council and Advancing Manufacturing Aotearoa focused on solving real-world challenges facing New Zealand businesses.
About 30 small and medium-sized companies shared their production bottlenecks or innovation challenges and left the forum with practical ideas and new connections.
Business development manager for AUT’s School of Engineering, Computer & Mathematical Sciences Tanya Pleshkova said it was an excellent event, with "strong industry turnout and a lot of good collaboration, connections and conversations". The feedback was so positive, the forum is likely to become a regular event.
The AMF 2026 programme combined interactive workshops and industry–academia sessions spanning process innovation, advanced materials, automation, sustainable production, renewable energy, AI, and digital transformation.
For businesses, it was a unique opportunity to put real operational challenges in front of independent academic experts and emerging engineering talent - gaining fresh thinking, building valuable relationships and uncovering opportunities to take their manufacturing capability to the next level. Companies with project briefs were matched to tables with academics and students.
AUT engineering, computer and mathematical sciences professor Sarat Singamneni's presentation - From Research to Reality: What Could We Solve Together? - covered rapid changes in manufacturing, including advances in new materials, additive manufacturing, digital technologies and AI, all of which open up new possibilities for how products are designed, made and improved.
"But which developments are genuinely useful for New Zealand manufacturers, and which are still more hype than reality?" he asked.
Professor Singamneni cut through the noise, sharing insights from advanced manufacturing research and real-world examples. He outlined which emerging technologies could help SMEs make products faster, cheaper or better, and where a more cautious approach was needed.
AUT senior lecturer in mechatronics, Dr Daniel Konings, talked about generative AI for manufacturing and where it could deliver tangible business value while implementing solutions in ways that are safe, accurate and auditable.
AUT materials engineer Professor Zhan Chen talked about manufacturing processes and technologies, including metallurgical, thermomechanical and transformation behaviours during die casting, friction stir welding and metal additive manufacturing of both traditional and newly developed alloys.
The industry panel talked about the evolving role of AI across the manufacturing value chain, from product design and production planning to quality assurance, maintenance, and operational optimisation.
The forum also heard from Catherine Lye, chief executive of Advancing Manufacturing Aotearoa, the Hon. Cameron Brewer, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing, and Rob McKenzie-Carroll, chief operating officer of HamiltonJet.
The Minister reminded the attendees that research and development was currently supported by a 15% tax rebate.
At the end of the forum, the delegates were taken on a guided tour of AUT's advanced manufacturing research facilities, including 3D printing, materials, and robotics labs.